Today I was off work (yay!), using more of my vacation days before 2008 ends. Do you realize that the year will be over in three weeks? And it will be 2009? egads!
I got off my lazy bum around 2 PM today and went to the library. There were a couple books I wanted to check out, plus my card had expired so I needed to renew. I have several branches in my area, but I went to the one closest to my house. When I got there, I was walking toward the front door, passing two guys talking. One of the guys shouted at me, “DAMN GIRL YOU LOOK SEXY, WHAT’S YOUR NAME?” omg. I ignored him and hurried to go inside, and I think he said something like, “I’LL BE WAITING HERE” wtf? ok…I was relieved when I went inside and saw a security guard wandering around, because I planned on flagging him down if I saw the creepster again. I renewed my card and found the books I wanted, then browsed for a few minutes, hoping the creepster would leave…eventually I checked out and left, and didn’t bother looking around much to see if the weirdo was still there or not. I didn’t get accosted on the way out though, so that was a good thing.
oh, and one of the books I specifically went to the library for? The Gift of Fear, what a coincidence, right?! geez.
When I came home, I decided to be even more productive, and blocked a couple knit items which I cannot say anything more about because they are holiday gifts. 
I kind of dislike the blocking process–I like pinning things down and then unpinning them and seeing how the pattern magically opens up, but I dislike the actual washing of the knit item. However my hands do have a lovely lavender scent on them right now.
Tonight M and I are wrapping gifts and tomorrow will drop them off at the post office, aka the holiday hotspot of doom. This is probably the worst time to go to the post office–well, anytime between now and Christmas, I suppose–and I keep getting emails from the USPS saying that they’re having problems with Click-n-Ship. We might have to stand in line tomorrow, joy.
To be honest, and at the risk of sounding like the ultimate grinch, I’ve never really been into the Christmas thing. Even when I was a kid, Christmas was never a huge deal. We exchanged presents and everything, but as an adult, I feel like the retail/material aspect gets more blown out of proportion every year. Christmas is supposed to be a religious holiday–at least that’s the idea I got when I drove past a gigantic neon “HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS” sign the other night. Once upon a time, I was very religious, but I’m not anymore. I’m basically agnostic, and M is pretty much pagan, lol. But we do have a wee tree, even though it is plastic and only about 2 feet tall and black. (I am not joking. I should take a pic.) We will exchange a few presents, but other than that, I’m just relieved when the holiday season is over. The malls are insane at this time, as are the post offices and places blasting Christmas music–it all makes me crazy! Anyway. yeah I think I am basically a grinch, so please excuse me. I know many people love this time of year, I just tend to associate it with stress and bad things. Maybe because a couple years ago I was on the brink of divorce at Christmastime, so the memory of that is still fresh and I’m very cynical as a result…or something.
All that being said–I think this is the first year that I’ve knit so many gifts for people. I’m making a scarf for my sister, something secret for kc, and I’m about to finish a stocking for M in his favorite colors. This is also the first year I’ve crocheted a gift–the afghan for M’s mom. I was thinking about either knitting or crocheting my mom a table runner for her dining room, but I’m not sure what pattern to use…I think basically any lacy scarf pattern would do, just enlarged…not sure if I have the proper stash yarn for it, though…hmm last minute ideas!
Some post offices have the automated postal centers. I went to the po yesterday, and the line for a person was a mile long, but only one of the APC’s was in use. I posted two packages and bought stamps, and I was in/out in about 5 minutes.
Also, I think if you try stamps.com or wahtever the other one is, you can get a free trial for those services. Just use the free trial and cancel before it renews, and then you can just drop off packages w/o standing in line.. 
or maybe they also allow pick up thorugh there. it’s been a while since i used stamps.com.
hope that helps. i don’t envy anybody standing in line at the po!
Cool, thanks for the tip!
I’m with ya there. I can’t wait for Christmas to be over too. I just feel so sucked into buying things then being poor for the beginning of the year.
I’m glad those creepy people weren’t around when you left, how crreeeepppyy.
with my sister’s wedding being right after Christmas we aren’t really “doing” Christmas this year… yes, I put up my tree… but I haven’t bought one present! I’ve been working on making a few things, but that’s it. true, that would probably be different if I *had* money to spend, but the past few years I’ve enjoyed making the majority of the gifts I give, and not worrying about buying gifts. I really do enjoy this time of year, but I really love traditions, and food, and making things, and eggnog, and red and green
you should only do the things you WANT to do at Christmas-time, though, I think! 
not what we think we HAVE to do, b/c our completely out of control consumer society tries to tell you otherwise.
and, I really appreciate that you knit me something!
you are awesome!